Originally Posted by FBinNY

I lived in Manhattan for 10÷ years using my bike as my main transport. Back then, in the late sixties, there were no bike lanes.

NYC instructed bicyclists to keep LEFT on Manhattan's one way avenues, which was surprisingly enlightened. Keeping left meant no bus leap frog, better sightlines and clearance calculations.for drives, and greatly reduced risk of dooring.

Contrary to outsider's assumptions riding in NYC's dense traffic was reasonably safe because speeds were better matched, and NYC drivers operate at very levels of awareness.

When NYC added the b bike lanes on one way avenues they placed them on the left, following the earlier logic. While I'm not a fan, it seems to work because left turning drivers have better sight lines, so left hooks aren't as common. Also note that most intersections have many pedestrians, so drivers get smarter pretty quickly.

On the personal note, I've never been a fan of bike lanes and actually preferred shared roadways. When I ride in NYC I avoid avenues with bike lanes, so I don't risk dealing with overzealous cops enforcing stupid laws.